I looked around the table. "Parents might ask for credentials."
Ivy laughed. "Ugh, no. I'm always scouring local news for classes to do with Henry. There's mommy–and-me yoga, but not much else. We're in dire need of an art studio. And I promise you; I never look at the teacher's credentials. I just want to get out of the house for a bit of fun."
I chewed my lip. "I'm not sure I'd want to open a brick-and-mortar store."
"You know, it would be easy just to post about classes and host them at Dalton's or on the beach. You could even do them at the library. We have guests come in from time to time," Hazel chimed in.
"Could she do it as part of the after-school program you run?" Elena asked Hazel, and then to me, she said, "Hazel works at the library."
"Oh, how nice," I said.
Hazel smiled. "I recently started an after-school program, and we're always looking for additional things to offer. An art class would be perfect for that."
The thought of hosting a class soon filled me with fear. "I wasn't prepared to do it so soon."
"We can do a mini summer class and see how much interest there is. Then you can decide if you'd want to do it during the school year," Hazel said. "I'll send out a flyer and a sign-up for it."
This was moving faster than I expected.
Elena nodded. "This way you'll know if it's something you want to do now or if you'd prefer to go back to school for your terminal degree."
"I don't really need the doctorate unless I'm working in a therapeutic setting. I have a background in psychology and art," I said, thinking out loud.
"This could be your way of deciding what you want to do," Elena pointed out.
"Okay. Let's do it," I said, my heart beating hard.
"Yay!" Hazel typed something on her phone, probably a reminder to post a notice about the upcoming class. “I’m opening it up to everyone so we can get an idea of how many people are interested.”
"Are you nervous?" Elena asked.
"I am actually. What if no one wants to take the class or thinks it's not good?"
"Consider me signed up with Henry. He adores you, and he loves to paint."
"I didn't realize I'd be planning art classes tonight." I thought it would be a chance to get to know these women better, maybe make a few friends.
"That's what friends are for," Elena said, surprising me.
"We'll get you sorted," Ivy said with a smile, and I felt better about the situation. This would provide me with the clarity I needed to make a decision.
If no one signed up, I'd have my answer. There wasn't a need for art classes on this small island. That wouldn't be a surprise, given the number of tourists on the island every year.
Ivy sobered and leaned in. "I've been meaning to tell you guys about something. There's been a developer asking around about buying up real estate."
Elena frowned. "What does he want to buy?"
Ivy lowered her voice. "The developer is a family of brothers, and they are interested in shops, restaurants, and hotels. It sounds like they could buy up a lot of buildings and really change the landscape of the island."
Daria's eyes widened. "I don't like the sound of that. Our building is still for sale after the last contract fell through."
"You've been grandfathered in on the lease, haven't you?" Elena asked.
Daria chewed her lip. "I'm not sure how that works if the building is sold."
My mind was still on the art classes though. I'd need to see about getting easels that would be easy to transport if I was teaching at various places. Then I'd need art supplies, paint, brushes. Was this a business? Did I need to keep track of expenses or file for a business designation? I wondered if Dalton knew anything about this stuff.
"I don't want things to change around here. I like our small island," Nora said.
